Lawn broom or rake



July 12, 1949. D. TOMKINS 2,475,862

LAWN BROOM OR RAKE Filed Dec. 9, i947 [12 Men tor.- fla'dz'd' Zkmkins 1% @MQZ 4 Patented July 12, 1949 LAWN BROOM R RAKE David Tomiiins, Providence, R. I.

Application December 9, 1947, Serial No. 790,612

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to lawn-brooms or rakes, and more particularly to improvements in metal rakes or lawn-brooms having resilient tines.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rake or lawn-broom of the type indicated having a plurality of segmental sheet-metal tinecarrying members individually attached to the frame or head of the rake without the use of rivets, screws or bolts.

Another object is to provide a rake of the type indicated in which the resilient fingers or tines will withstand repeated flexing movement without separation from the supporting frame or head on which the tine-segments are mounted.

Another object is to provide a rake of the type indicated in which the tines are held firmly by folded portions of the frame or head and not liable to become loosened or separated under strain and vibration in use.

Another object is to provide a rake of the type indicated in which the tine-members are adapted to be fixedly connected to the frame or head of the rake by simply passing tongues on the rearward ends of the tine-segments through openings in the head and folding spaced tabs over the forward ends of the segments to hold the latter seated on the head under tension.

Another object is to provide a rake or lawnbroom of the type indicated in which the tinesegments may be easily removed from the head or frame and replaced by others for repairing the rake in case of damage to the tines.

Further objects are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the device as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled lawn-broom or rake incorporating the novel features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan View of the lawn-broom or rake illustrated in Fig. 1 with the handle omitted;

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary transverse section-a1 View of the crossbar or head of the rake shown in inverted position to illustrate the manner in which the rear tongues of the tinecarrying segments are passed endwise through the slots at the rear of the head; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 3 showing the tongues of the tine-carrying segments bent upwardly toward the back of the crossbar or head and the tine-carrying segments retained against its under side under tension by the spaced holding tabs on the crossbar bent over the forward edges of the tine-segments.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the present improved rake or lawn-broom is shown as comprising a straight crossbar or head ill from which a series of resilient tines or spring-fingers H project forwardly in spaced-apart relationship with their outer operative ends curving downwardly as indicated at I2. The fingers or tines I i are formed on plate-like segments 23 attached to the head or crossbar It as hereinafter described. A handle l3, usually of wood and of suitable length, is secured to the head H] by any suitable means such as the arcuate strap l4 and bolts [5.

The head or crossbar It) preferably is constructed from a, sheet-metal blank by suitable punching, bending and forming operations, the blank being rectangular in shape, of suitable thickness and ribbed or channeled longitudinally of its entire extent, as indicated at l6 and I! in Fig. 1 and the sectional views, Figs. 3 and 4, to provide the desired strength and rigidity. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the sheet-metal blank while in its fiat state is provided with a series of slotted holes 18 spaced longitudinally at intervals along the head it adjacent its rearward edge and a plurality of spaced tabs 28 along its forward edge. The rearward edge of the blank is bent at rightangles to provide an upstanding flange 22 shown in the sectional views, Figs. 2 and 4, so that the slots I 8 become angularly disposed at forty-five degrees to the horizontal and medial of the rightangular bend. Thereafter the tabs 20 are bent upwardly at substantially ninety degrees as shown in Fig. 3, being so located in position as to adapt them to pass between the sides of the two extreme outermost tines or fingers II at either end of each plate 23 as shown in Fig. 2.

The teeth of the rake which are formed integral with the plate-like segments 23 are preferably punched out from a blank of spring steel and, as shown in Fig. 2, there are five equallyspaced fiat, flexible tines or spring-fingers H extending outwardly from the forward edge of each segment with alternate recesses 24 between adjacent teeth, each of said recesses being substantially the width of a tine. Each segment 23 is provided with two spaced tongues 25 extending outwardly from its rearward edge, the spacing between the tongues corresponding to the spacing between the elongate slots l8 in the curve of the right-angular bend of the flange 22.

All of the tine-segments '23 are substantially identica1 in that they are of the same Width and present the same number of forwardly directed teeth or resilient tines H and two projections or tongues 25 at the rear. To attach the segments 23 to the crossbar or head ID the flat tongues 25 of each segment are first inserted through the elongated perforations or slots [8 by inclining the segments with respect to the head, as shown in Fig. 3, the slots being disposed longitudinally along thefoldelineor bend of. the flange.,2,2, that is, the line off juncturezof the flange with; the crossbar or head Ill. The slots I8 aline in a radial plane disposed at an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the flange 22, and hence,

the side walls of the slots are inclinedisubstantially'at an angle of forty-five degrees witlrrespect to the plane of the rear flange. After-the tongues 25 have been insertedinthe-slots [8 the segments 23 are folded flat against the under face of the head Ill as shown in Fig. 4. By reason of the angularity of the slots 1 8 the segments will: lice held against: the: under face-e of: the; head l under tensiomand; when thus seat'edzthey are securedl tn the: head by; bending the flat: proj ectlons; or fastening" tabs: 20,; across. the edges of the:- metalainv thee spaces between; certain of: the

teeth: on: each segment, .seeiFi'g. l: The. free. end portions: of: the tabs: 2%: after passage between then tfifith'; ll: are; bent over; toward the; rearward edge; of: thee head. Ill to: oyerllezand firmly, engage the bottomuface: ofithezsegments 23: Inthiszway the? tineesegments; 2135 maybe; readily. and con veniently attaohedi to -thezunder; side; of the; head Hi; and locked: in: place; tonprevent: looseness or vibration. while; resisting; any-tendency" for: them to become-unfastened in use. necessar to: replace" they rake: due to. bent. or broken. tiHBSLt/hfl". defectives segments 1 inayrbe;easily: remoyediby. bending back the; fastening: tabs 2.11: and: withdrawing? their; tongues 251 from the slots; llhwhereafter one or more; newv segments may'be; applied to, theihead lu asreplacements inthe mannenasspraviouslmdescribedt 7 It: will: be: observed; from: the; foregoing specificatlornthat;- the' present; invention. provides; a: noyell form; of; lawnrbroom; orrrake; which is; of. simple;, halite-weight?v and: compact construction to adapt", it; for; eeonomicahmanufacture;

While; a preferredi embodiment of. the inventioni is illustrated; and: described: herein; it. is to be; understopdv thatl modifications; may be made initheform amd.c0nstr11cti0n10f;its partsgwithout departing fromzthe-y spirit or..- scopeaof; theinyentioni Therefore, without 3 limitingv myself inthis respect, I claim:

1r Ina rakezon lawnebroom; ,themmbination of a. handle, ,a relatively" flat-ahead attached 1 to said handle; said lhead'having a rearNv-arddownwardlydirected.- flange with: slots: disppsedlongitudinally substantially alongithe line ofjuncture of. said flange-with the head, in angular relation to the plane of the head alserieszof substantially identical; segments; arrangedl longitudinally, along; the under.- side? of, the; head, each of said segments having a: plurality. of; flat flexible.- forwardly-direcited. teeth. and; provided, at: itsrearward edge Should it. become with tongues extending through said angular slots, and fastening tabs disposed longitudinally along the front edge of the head and extending downwardly through the spaces between certain of the teeth on the segments, the free end portions of said tabs being bent around the bottom of said segments to secure the latter to said head.

2. ma rake or lawn:br.oom,, the combination of a; handle, ahead extending transversely of said handle, said head having a rearward flange bent at substantially right-angles to the plane of the head and provided with slots aranged 1011-- gitudina'lly .-of the bend of said flange, said slots lying in a radial plane disposed at an angle of forty=five degrees with respect to the plane of saidflange; a series of substantially identical plate-like segments arranged longitudinally along said head; each of said segments formed wit a plurality of forwardly-directed teeth and provided, atrlitse rearward edge: withi projections extending; through saidlslotsgandzfastenhm means for,:securing saidi segmentssflatzagainstr said head whereby they are held fiat against said head tin-.- dertension;

3. Ina rake or; lawn-broom. the; combination of a handle; a: crossbar; extending transversely of and attached to:v said: handle; said crossbar having its; upper: face.- providediwith; longitudinal ribs and presenting a downwarfilyrdirected rearward; flange-.- proj ecting at; substantially-right angles; to; said;bar,' saidi.fiangwbeingrproyided with a series of; elongateeslot'sg disposed longitudinally along he; l ne: of. its: juncture: Witlii the;- crossbar with thegside:wallsroflthee slotsi'nclined. at sub-- stantially; forty fiyee degrees with: respect tothe flange, aiseriesiof substantially-identical segments arranged: longitudinally along. saidcrossbar; each of; saidlsegments having: at pluralityof, flexible forwardly directed teethiandprovided atitsrearward edge. with; tongues; extending obliquely through saidzslots-,.the; freezendsof. said tongues beingibentl tovoi/erliathc-x reanfane of said flange, and-i fasteningtabss disposed llongitudinall along the-- front; edge of: the; crossebar: and extending through: the spaces: between: certain of the teeth onzeaclnsegmenfithe free endportions of said tabs being: bent across theedge to underlie the bottom; of: the: segments; to. securethem in place onthenrossbar;

DAVID IOMKINS.

REFERENCES; CIEEEDJ The following references? are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES: BAT-ENTS- 

